Yesterday we put down our beloved Elle. She finally succumbed to a spinal tumor at age 8. This has left a huge hole in our hearts and our home. There will never be another one like her. She turned out to be more dog than I could have ever asked for and gave me 8 great years to share with her. She was just a big lover around the house. Most loving dog I have ever had. She also was a tremendous pheasant dog. Best I've ever had. And then to top it off, with no formal training by me or anyone else she excelled in NSTRA field trials and became a NSTRA Champion this past spring. I was truly blessed to have such a dog in my life.

Dogs. There’s a reason we call them man’s best friend. We can learn so many things from a dog’s behavior, personality, demeanor, resiliency, and most importantly, the willingness to provide their family members with unconditional love, loyalty, and companionship down to their very last breath.

You come in the door from a long day’s work. The dog doesn’t judge you; he doesn’t care how you’re dressed or if you’ve just had a really bad day. No matter the situation, your dog is happy to see you. You are greeted with the same enthusiasm each and every time you walk in that door. A dog has the ability to live in the present moment. They don’t regret the past or worry about the future. If we can learn to appreciate and focus on what’s happening in the here and now, we’ll experience a richness of living.

In the presence of a dog, somehow, nothing else matters. A dog is handing out pure love, sparing no expense, and asking absolutely nothing in return. There’s consistency, love, and the beauty of life at its finest.by Bernie Parent

Thank you all for the extremely kind words. Elle was truly one of a kind and I was fortunate to have her in my life. She's left one heck of a hole in my life. But time to move on and find my next dog. Looking for a started female. Prefer a Brittany but would consider one of the Setter breeds. She will be an in the house dog. Hunted on pheasants in South Dakota and run in NSTRA trials. PM me if you know of such a dog.